Maintenance and Troubleshooting of the 160, 235, 360 & 470 GPH Solar Water Pump Kits

Thank you very much for your interest in Solariver™ solar water pumps and kits. Solariver™ products are designed for quick and easy setup and reliable long-term use. 

Below you'll find videos and resources for troubleshooting, cleaning and assembling and disassembling your solar water pump for the 160, 235, 360 and 475. If you’ve tried the solutions below and are still stuck, feel free to get in touch with us Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm EST.

This video can be used for the 160, 235, 360, 435 GPH. 

If your Solariver™ solar water pump kit not working or experiencing slower flow? Don't worry! Cleaning and maintaining your pump is easy and straightforward. Follow these simple steps to get your pump running like new again:

1. Remove and clean the filter cover and foam mesh filter membrane
2. Check and clean the variable flow valve
3. Inspect the impeller for any blockages
4. Disassemble and clean the pump body and impeller assembly
5. Reassemble and test the pump
   
   

• Inspect and clean the solar panel and junction box
• Check and secure connections
• Adjust the variable flow control
• Inspect and clean the pump, including the dry-run protection sensors
• Disassemble and reassemble the pump, including the impeller and ceramic shaft
  
  

1. Confirm your solar panel is placed in full sunshine. It will work through clouds, but not shade, so make sure there are no obstructions like branches, leaves or shadows covering the panel. Note that thick cloud cover may reduce the power of the pump as the clouds pass over, but it will resume when the sky clears.
   
   
2. Solariver solar water pumps are equipped with dry-run protection to protect the pump from burning out if it is not completely submerged.

   The pump will not run if it is plugged in and then put underwater, it needs to be underwater first.
   
   

   If the pump is not running, try unplugging the pump from the solar panel cord and placing the pump underwater first. Give it 15 seconds of submersion and then plug it back into the solar panel. This will reset the dry run sensors. It should start pumping.
   
   

3. Then please double confirm the cord is connected properly. This can be tricky at times. There is a flat side to the connectors that needs to be matched up. If they are not matched up the pump won't receive power from the solar panel.

   
   Also make sure the waterproof connector is tight, if water gets in there it can stop the pump, in that case it just needs to dry out completely.
   
   
4. The 12W and 20W kits feature a variable flow dial on the front of the pump. This dial, when turned to Min will completely shut off water flow, make sure to turn this dial towards Max to increase flow.
   
   
5. Confirm the filter is clean and the inside of the pump is clear. Debris in the pump or in the filter will reduce/stop the pump from doing its job.
   
   
6. If the pump still isn't working after trying the above, please place your hand on the pump while it is underwater and plugged in and to identify whether it is a) running and not pumping or b) it is not running at all. In either case, please contact us and we can go from there.

If you’ve tried the solutions above and in the video and are still stuck, feel free to get in touch with us Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm EST.

Thank you very much for your interest in Solariver™ solar water pumps and kits. Solariver™ products are designed for quick and easy setup and reliable long-term use.